Bollywood By Choice | Madhubala, Kishore Kumar, Pancham And Hindi Cinema’s Fear Of The Truth

Bollywood has returned to what it arguably does worst: biopics.

Despite repeated criticism for producing superficial and overly eulogistic portrayals of well-known personalities, the Hindi film industry continues to revisit real-life stories.

Its latest subjects—R.D. Burman, Madhubala and Kishore Kumar—are undeniably compelling figures whose lives combined enormous talent, personal struggles and enduring legacies.

The central issue, however, is not whether these lives merit cinematic exploration—they undoubtedly do. The real concern is whether Bollywood will portray them with honesty and depth or reduce them to sanitised tributes designed for mass appeal.

Neeraj Pandey is reportedly developing a biopic on composer R.D. Burman, popularly known as Pancham. His life presents a narrative rich in contrasts: extraordinary artistic achievements juxtaposed with professional setbacks and personal hardships.

Burman rose to prominence with films such as Teesri Manzil (1966) and went on to compose music for over 300 films and numerous non-film albums across languages. His compositions stood out for their creative range, weaving diverse musical traditions into a distinctly new soundscape for Hindi cinema.

Even decades later, his compositions continue to resonate across generations, including younger audiences discovering his music in the digital era. Yet, his career was far from a consistent success.

The 1980s proved particularly challenging, with a series of commercial failures leading to his marginalisation within the industry. Importantly, this decline was not due to a lack of musical quality. Several compositions from this period remain popular and critically admired.

However, Bollywood’s longstanding obsession with box-office performance meant that Burman was increasingly viewed as a ‘jinx’. This phase of his life highlights the industry’s tendency to equate commercial success with artistic worth.

Once celebrated as a trailblazer, Burman found himself struggling for opportunities, even as his music retained its creative brilliance. His eventual comeback, with films such as Gardish (1993) and 1942: A Love Story (1994), came late in his life, lending his story a poignant and somewhat tragic dimension.

In some respects, his trajectory mirrors that of Rajesh Khanna, Hindi cinema’s first superstar, who similarly experienced dramatic shifts in public and industry perception.

Their stories illustrate how quickly fame can give way to neglect in an industry driven by shifting trends and commercial calculations. The success of Burman’s biopic will depend on whether it engages with these complexities.

Pandey previously directed a biographical film on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which was well received but benefited from being released during the cricketer’s peak popularity. In contrast, Burman’s story requires a more nuanced approach—one that acknowledges both triumph and decline without resorting to selective storytelling.

A similar challenge faces the proposed biopic on Madhubala, reportedly backed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production. Widely remembered for her beauty, she was also a highly accomplished actor whose performances left a lasting impact on Indian cinema. Her portrayal of Anarkali in Mughal-e-Azam (1960), in particular, remains iconic.

However, Madhubala’s life extended far beyond her on-screen persona. Her relationship with Dilip Kumar, often described as one of Bollywood’s most poignant love stories, was shaped by personal and familial tensions. Her father’s significant influence over her career decisions and her role as the primary earner in her family added layers of complexity to her life.

Her eventual marriage to Kishore Kumar and her untimely death at 36 due to a congenital heart condition underscore the tragic aspects of her story.

Any biographical film that seeks to do justice to her life must move beyond the image of a glamorous star and explore these deeper, often difficult realities.

Kishore Kumar himself represents another fascinating yet challenging subject for a biopic. Actor, singer, composer and maverick performer, he defied conventional norms throughout his career. His life has long attracted interest from filmmakers, including Anurag Basu, yet its inherent unpredictability makes it difficult to fit into a conventional narrative structure.

The broader issue lies in Bollywood’s inconsistent record with biographical films. While there have been notable successes such as Paan Singh Tomar (2012) and Dangal (2016), many biopics prioritise commercial viability over narrative integrity.

Films often avoid controversial aspects of their subjects’ lives, opting instead for simplified and celebratory portrayals. Even Sanju (2018), despite its superb performances, technical proficiency and box-office success, faced criticism for presenting a selective version of actor Sanjay Dutt’s life and downplaying contentious issues.

This tendency to sanitise real-life stories undermines the very purpose of the biopic genre. The lives of individuals such as Pancham, Madhubala and Kishore Kumar were not linear success stories. Their legacies make sense only when seen through their struggles, inconsistencies and moments of failures.

Reducing such lives to straightforward narratives of achievement strips them of authenticity and deprives audiences of the opportunity to engage with the full complexity of these legendary stars.

As Bollywood prepares to bring these iconic figures to the screen, it faces a familiar dilemma. It can continue to produce visually appealing but ultimately shallow tributes, or it can embrace a more honest and nuanced approach to storytelling.

The choice will determine whether these films contribute meaningfully to cinematic discourse or simply reinforce existing patterns. The stories of R. D. Burman, Madhubala, and Kishore Kumar deserve more than reverence; they demand truth.